Paul Collingwood appointed as assistant coach of England

Paul Collingwood will replace England assistant coach and fielding specialist Richard Halsall their upcoming tour of the West Indies and the subsequent World Twenty20 in Bangladesh.

Written by Agence-France Presse

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London:

Former Test batsman Paul Collingwood will join England's coaching staff for their upcoming tour of the West Indies and the subsequent World Twenty20 in Bangladesh, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Wednesday.

Collingwood, still an active player as captain of county champions Durham, recently impressed as a coach by helping guide Scotland to the finals of next year's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Renowned as one of the best fielders of his generation, the 37-year-old Collingwood will be given leave from his Durham duties to replace England assistant coach and fielding specialist Richard Halsall in the Caribbean and Bangladesh.

Collingwood played 68 Tests, 197 one-day internationals and 35 Twenty20 internationals and was England's captain when they won their first International Cricket Council (ICC) global title -- the 2010 World Twenty20 in the Caribbean.

"I am delighted that Paul has agreed to join the England coaching staff for the trips to the West Indies and Bangladesh," said Paul Downton, England's managing director of cricket, in an ECB statement.

"He was an outstanding performer for England and proved himself to be a successful captain in Twenty20 cricket and the county game.

"We are looking forward to the enthusiastic approach Paul brings to all the teams that he has been involved with over the years," former England wicket-keeper Downton added.

"More recently he has also demonstrated his growing coaching potential by helping mastermind Scotland's victory in the ICC World Cup qualifier in New Zealand - a result which guaranteed Scotland a place in the ICC World Cup finals for the first time since 2007."

Ashley Giles, England's limited overs coach, played international cricket alongside Collingwood and was glad to have the Durham stalwart on his staff for both the one-day series in the West Indies and the World Twenty20.

"Colly will add great energy and a winning T20 pedigree to the tour party. We are really looking forward to his involvement," Giles said.

England are currently without an overall head coach after Andy Flower quit as team director following the humiliating 5-0 Ashes series loss in Australia.